KUALA LUMPUR: There are no plans to increase the price of subsidised cooking oil, said Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.

“The time is not right and the people are still engulfed with cost of living issues,” the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said during the Ministers' Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (June 8).

He said the Central Database Hub (Padu) system will have the necessary data on citizens eligible for subsidies once rolled out.

“The government will then begin initiatives towards targeted subsidies for the people in this country,” he said.

“The government is spending on cooking oil, RON95 and other subsidised items. We will maintain these subsidies for the people.

"The bottom line is the government is cognisant of the people who are facing cost of living issues,” he added.

He said the government may be able to save on its expenditure once there is a system in place for targeted subsidies and the economy recovers.

He was responding to a supplementary question by Azli Yusof (PH-Shah Alam) on whether the government had plans to bridge the gap between the price of subsidised polybag cooking oil and used cooking oil including by increasing the price of subsidised cooking oil.

Subsidised cooking oil in 1kg polybags is sold at RM2.50 per packet.